Winnipeg, MB - In a ceremony at City Hall today, Mayor Sam Katz presented the 2013 Senior of the Year awards to two outstanding Winnipeg seniors.
The annual awards honour local seniors who have made significant contributions to the City. Jim Daly and Elizabeth McGuire accepted the awards, which recognize their community commitment through volunteerism with youth.
“Mr. Daly and Mrs. McGuire are both great sources of knowledge and expertise and have been very generous with their time,” said Mayor Sam Katz. “It is a pleasure to have the opportunity to present the 2013 Senior of the Year awards to two outstanding volunteers who are making such a tremendous difference in our community.”
Retired track and field coach Jim Daly, 86, was nominated by Luke Scantlebury, a track athlete and student at Fort Richmond Collegiate. Scantlebury nominated Mr. Daly for his outstanding dedication to Manitoba’s track and field programs and countless hours of volunteer coaching at Fort Richmond Collegiate.
Scantlebury, who has been coached by Mr. Daly for three years, wrote in his nomination form, “The thing about Mr. Daly is that he doesn’t care if you are the star track athlete or the athlete who just wants to try. He is willing to help, offer advice and encourage. He coaches because he loves it and I am so thankful for that.”
Prior to his retirement, Mr. Daly had many accomplishments in Canadian sport, including ensuring Canada’s successful bid for the 1967 Pan Am Games and acting as Canada’s Chef de Mission at the 1986 and 1990 Commonwealth Games.
Elizabeth McGuire was awarded for her ongoing commitment to education and literacy. Since her retirement from teaching in 2012, Mrs. McGuire has returned to Ralph Maybank School on a daily basis to help students develop their reading and numeracy skills.
“Mrs. McGuire made a difference in the lives of her students because she got them interested in learning,” said Trentin Taylor, a grade five student at Ralph Maybank School, in his nomination letter. “Mrs. McGuire says she still comes to school even though she doesn’t have to because she wants to have fun.”
Several years ago, while teaching at the school, Mrs. McGuire headed a committee which sought to beautify the grounds at Ralph Maybank School, in the Pembina Trails School Division, with the addition of sustainable gardens. Mrs. McGuire continues to spend hours of her time maintaining the gardens.
The Senior of the Year awards are administered by the Mayor’s Age-friendly and Senior’s Advisory Committee. In order to be eligible for an award, the seniors must be nominated by a youth under the age of 18.
Councillor Grant Nordman (St Charles), who chairs the Age-friendly and Senior’s Advisory Committee, was impressed by the nominations received this year.
“Both of this year’s recipients impressed us with their efforts as volunteers and are very deserving of these awards,” said Councillor Nordman. “It’s great to see young people eager to come forward to share stories of how much senior volunteers have positively affected their lives.”
The Senior of the Year recipients were presented with certificates signed by Mayor Katz.
For more information on the Mayor’s Age-friendly and Senior’s Advisory Committee, please visit: winnipeg.ca/interhom/mayor/sac.stm